UTA among top universities in nation for degrees awarded to minority students

UTA is again among the top universities in the U.S. in conferring degees to minority students, according to Diverse: Issues in Higher Education.

The University of Texas at Arlington is one of the top universities in the U.S. for conferring degrees to minority students, according to Diverse: Issues in Higher Education. The publication released its annual Top 100 Degrees Conferred list last week, based on data from the U.S. Department of Education. It is the only national analysis of its kind.

The 2017 list features UTA among the nation’s best in offering minority students opportunities to earn degrees that improve social and economic mobility and meet workforce demands.

“I applaud UTA's commitment to diversity, inclusion, and expanding access to higher education for all Texans. The work they have done to make college degrees more attainable for minority students is to be commended,” said state Rep. Eric Johnson, D-Dallas.

Among the highlights, UTA ranks:

No. 1 in Texas for bachelor’s and master’s degrees awarded to African-American students

No. 1 in North Texas and No. 12 in the U.S. for master’s degrees awarded to Hispanic graduate students

No. 1 in North Texas and No. 18 in the U.S. for bachelor’s degrees awarded to Hispanic students

No. 1 in North Texas and No. 2 in Texas for master’s degrees awarded to all minority students.

No. 21 in the U.S. for bachelor’s and master’s degrees conferred to all minority students

“We reflect the community, state and nation we serve,” said UTA Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Teik C. Lim. “UTA is home to one of the most diverse student bodies in the country, and it is a direct result of our relentless pursuit of excellence without compromising access or quality of education.”

UTA’s enrollment is on a steep upward trajectory, with a global enrollment of more than 58,600 during the 2016-17 academic year, representing a 22 percent increase over 2013. According to U.S News & World Report, UTA is fifth among national universities for undergraduate ethnic diversity. U.S. News & World Report also ranks UTA No. 2 in the nation for the lowest amount of student debt incurred by students.